Hey everyone, this is my first thread but I've been a committed lurker and reader for awhile now. But I wanted to start my own thread about a littany of possible historical PODs I've found just by reading articles and stories on the Internet and elsewhere. Mind you, some of these events I've come across through Cracked.com, which is supposed to be a humorous site, but they have a historical section that usually has several links attached to the articles to back up their stories. I don't know how you go about listing multiple PODs, as I'm simply looking to see what people's opinions are about what might happen as a result of some of these events. They aren't all happening at the same time mind you, but it's just interesting to consider the course of events that would follow. I have a rather long(ish) list, so I'm probably going to make another thread in the post-1900 forum to cover those that take place after 1900. Most of these have to do with something being discovered earlier, somebody being recognized for their work instead of whoever stole it, or somebody living that would have died otherwise, etc. If this is too long of a list, I'm sorry, just starting to get used to posting. If you need more specifics about a certain POD, just ask and I'll try to elaborate. I'll try and attach links if I can find them. Here we go:
- The Chinese have actually had a cotton gin nearly identical to Eli Whitney's since the 12th century, so either Americans get the technology earlier from the Chinese through trading or something else? http://www.cracked.com/article_2025...ts-that-your-history-books-lied-about_p2.html
- 19th Century German "archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann does not accidentally blow up the remains of the lost city of Troy. http://www.cracked.com/article_2014...ological-discoveries-destroyed-by-idiocy.html
- Ferdinand Magellan is able to survive his voyage around the world. Possibly by having a better initially supplied ship? http://www.cracked.com/article_19603_the-5-most-clearly-cursed-expeditions-all-time.html
- Morphine, ether, and nitrous oxide were beginning to be used as anesthetics as far back as 1772 instead of nearly 1845. http://www.cracked.com/article_19531_5-scientific-advances-that-should-have-changed-everything.html
- Henry Cavendish's research and work on electricity is found earlier and used starting in the 1700s instead of nearly 100 years later in 1879. http://www.cracked.com/article_1953...s-that-should-have-changed-everything_p2.html
- Moses Fleetwood Walker is recognized as the first professional black baseball player in 1884, 30 years before Jackie Robinson. And even before him, William Edward White, a Brown University student, was known as the first black player to play in a major league game. http://www.cracked.com/article_19430_6-famous-firsts-you-learned-in-history-class-are-total-bs.html
- The Goryeo Dynasty in Korea already invented the printing press in the 1200s, prior to Johann Gutenberg in 1439. What if it was possibly discovered earlier by means of trading? http://www.cracked.com/article_19430_6-famous-firsts-you-learned-in-history-class-are-total-bs.html
- What if the Taiping Rebellion in 1844 in China was successful? Would there be as much colonialism in China and East Asia, and prevent the Second Opium War? http://www.cracked.com/article_19251_5-forgotten-revolutions-that-created-modern-world.html
- English writer Chaucer does not die as early and is able to finish the remaining 3/4 of his Canterbury Tales epic. http://www.cracked.com/article_18539_7-lost-bodies-work-that-would-have-changed-everything_p2.html
- Heron of Alexandria, or Hero, develops the aeolipile, which is a small, steam-powered turbine that propelled itself by shooting steam out of one or more orifices, and that at least gets steam technology rolling in its infant stages in the 1st Century. http://www.cracked.com/article_18533_the-6-most-important-things-humanity-just-plain-forgot.html
- James Lind's discovery of the cure for scurvy, lemons, is not forgotten like it is for nearly 200 years after 1747. http://www.cracked.com/article_18533_the-6-most-important-things-humanity-just-plain-forgot.html
- Claudius Galenus' discovery and practice in using ligatures is not promptly forgotten through the Dark Ages from the 2nd Century till nearly 1575. http://www.cracked.com/article_18533_the-6-most-important-things-humanity-just-plain-forgot_p2.html
- The Gospel of Eve was not dashed from the Bible in the 4th Century by Church officials like Epiphanius, or it was discovered since then. http://www.cracked.com/article/18368_7-books-we-lost-to-history-that-would-have-changed-world/
- Copies of Archimedes' book On Sphere-Making survive starting around the 1st or 2nd Century. http://www.cracked.com/article/18368_7-books-we-lost-to-history-that-would-have-changed-world/
- In 19th Century Vienna, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis' handwashing theory takes precedent over 20 years earlier, vastly improving medical practices. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...fic-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds.html
- England's John Harrison invents the marine chronometer in 1700 and has it placed into use immediately, instead of being stonewalled by the British advisory board for nearly 70 years. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...fic-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds.html
- Charles Darwin and Richard Owens co-write The Origin of Species book, and Darwin is then able to complete his "Big Book" as a result of the lack of fighting with Owens in the following decades. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds_p2.html
- Edward Drinker Cope and Othaniel Charles Marsh continue to partner with each other in collecting dinosaur fossils, progressing with years of paleontological work and countless fossils. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds_p2.html
-In 1893, the British do not accidentally sink their very best naval ship, the HMS Victoria. http://www.cracked.com/article_19981_the-5-most-embarrassing-failures-in-history-war.html
- At the Battle of Chancellorsville during the Civil War, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson does not get accidentally shot down by his own Confederate troops. http://www.cracked.com/article_19981_the-5-most-embarrassing-failures-in-history-war_p2.html
Holy hell this is a long list, but I didn't know whether or not it'd be worth it to basically shell out about a dozen separate threads and clutter up the forum, rather than have people cherry pick and discuss PODs that they're interested in discussing. Let me know what you all think!
- The Chinese have actually had a cotton gin nearly identical to Eli Whitney's since the 12th century, so either Americans get the technology earlier from the Chinese through trading or something else? http://www.cracked.com/article_2025...ts-that-your-history-books-lied-about_p2.html
- 19th Century German "archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann does not accidentally blow up the remains of the lost city of Troy. http://www.cracked.com/article_2014...ological-discoveries-destroyed-by-idiocy.html
- Ferdinand Magellan is able to survive his voyage around the world. Possibly by having a better initially supplied ship? http://www.cracked.com/article_19603_the-5-most-clearly-cursed-expeditions-all-time.html
- Morphine, ether, and nitrous oxide were beginning to be used as anesthetics as far back as 1772 instead of nearly 1845. http://www.cracked.com/article_19531_5-scientific-advances-that-should-have-changed-everything.html
- Henry Cavendish's research and work on electricity is found earlier and used starting in the 1700s instead of nearly 100 years later in 1879. http://www.cracked.com/article_1953...s-that-should-have-changed-everything_p2.html
- Moses Fleetwood Walker is recognized as the first professional black baseball player in 1884, 30 years before Jackie Robinson. And even before him, William Edward White, a Brown University student, was known as the first black player to play in a major league game. http://www.cracked.com/article_19430_6-famous-firsts-you-learned-in-history-class-are-total-bs.html
- The Goryeo Dynasty in Korea already invented the printing press in the 1200s, prior to Johann Gutenberg in 1439. What if it was possibly discovered earlier by means of trading? http://www.cracked.com/article_19430_6-famous-firsts-you-learned-in-history-class-are-total-bs.html
- What if the Taiping Rebellion in 1844 in China was successful? Would there be as much colonialism in China and East Asia, and prevent the Second Opium War? http://www.cracked.com/article_19251_5-forgotten-revolutions-that-created-modern-world.html
- English writer Chaucer does not die as early and is able to finish the remaining 3/4 of his Canterbury Tales epic. http://www.cracked.com/article_18539_7-lost-bodies-work-that-would-have-changed-everything_p2.html
- Heron of Alexandria, or Hero, develops the aeolipile, which is a small, steam-powered turbine that propelled itself by shooting steam out of one or more orifices, and that at least gets steam technology rolling in its infant stages in the 1st Century. http://www.cracked.com/article_18533_the-6-most-important-things-humanity-just-plain-forgot.html
- James Lind's discovery of the cure for scurvy, lemons, is not forgotten like it is for nearly 200 years after 1747. http://www.cracked.com/article_18533_the-6-most-important-things-humanity-just-plain-forgot.html
- Claudius Galenus' discovery and practice in using ligatures is not promptly forgotten through the Dark Ages from the 2nd Century till nearly 1575. http://www.cracked.com/article_18533_the-6-most-important-things-humanity-just-plain-forgot_p2.html
- The Gospel of Eve was not dashed from the Bible in the 4th Century by Church officials like Epiphanius, or it was discovered since then. http://www.cracked.com/article/18368_7-books-we-lost-to-history-that-would-have-changed-world/
- Copies of Archimedes' book On Sphere-Making survive starting around the 1st or 2nd Century. http://www.cracked.com/article/18368_7-books-we-lost-to-history-that-would-have-changed-world/
- In 19th Century Vienna, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis' handwashing theory takes precedent over 20 years earlier, vastly improving medical practices. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...fic-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds.html
- England's John Harrison invents the marine chronometer in 1700 and has it placed into use immediately, instead of being stonewalled by the British advisory board for nearly 70 years. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...fic-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds.html
- Charles Darwin and Richard Owens co-write The Origin of Species book, and Darwin is then able to complete his "Big Book" as a result of the lack of fighting with Owens in the following decades. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds_p2.html
- Edward Drinker Cope and Othaniel Charles Marsh continue to partner with each other in collecting dinosaur fossils, progressing with years of paleontological work and countless fossils. http://www.cracked.com/article_1850...-innovations-held-back-by-petty-feuds_p2.html
-In 1893, the British do not accidentally sink their very best naval ship, the HMS Victoria. http://www.cracked.com/article_19981_the-5-most-embarrassing-failures-in-history-war.html
- At the Battle of Chancellorsville during the Civil War, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson does not get accidentally shot down by his own Confederate troops. http://www.cracked.com/article_19981_the-5-most-embarrassing-failures-in-history-war_p2.html
Holy hell this is a long list, but I didn't know whether or not it'd be worth it to basically shell out about a dozen separate threads and clutter up the forum, rather than have people cherry pick and discuss PODs that they're interested in discussing. Let me know what you all think!